‘Horses of Five Points’: How horseback rides became part of Columbia’s bar crawls

On a humid Wednesday night outside of Jake’s bar on Devine Street, a pair of horses stood on the sidewalk, looking out of place in the neon glow of the College Mart convenience store sign.

Stephen Harmon, the horses’ owner, stood beside them in a pair of cowboy boots, welcoming crowds of delighted bar-goers to pet the horses or climb into the saddles. Some of the visitors were well-acquainted with the horses, even greeting them by name.

Harmon has been bringing his horses, Tango and Little Bit, to Five Points and other spots frequented by college students for the past two years. Before then, he took casual horseback rides through Columbia’s downtown. People reacted so strongly to seeing the horses that Harmon realized he could turn it into a business opportunity.

“People in the city are just so fascinated. They don’t get the chance to see horses like that,” he said.

Harmon said he usually brings the horses to Five Points around 10 p.m. and keeps them out until 2 a.m., when the bars close. He brings them two to three nights a week, he said.

Harmon charges $10 for guests to sit on a horse and $20 to ride the horse a short distance up the street. On an average night, he’ll bring home a couple hundred dollars. On his best nights, like St. Patrick’s Day, he’ll make closer to $900.

Many Five Points patrons are willing to pay for a chance to ride the horses. On a recent Wednesday night, young people gathered to take pictures and videos of their friends on horseback. Some riders cheered and waved their arms in the air like they were brandishing a lasso. People on the ground stroked the horses and bent to kiss them on the noses. In the background, the voices of off-key karaoke singers swelled from nearby Lucky’s bar.

One person told Harmon he loved seeing the horses in Five Points and encouraged Harmon to keep bringing them in the future. Krista Kobi, who rode Tango, asked Harmon if she could ride him to Salty Nut Cafe, a seven-minute walk from Jake’s. That didn’t come to fruition.

Harmon said he typically lets riders travel a short distance on the horse, but when nights are slow he sometimes lets them ride to the next block. A video on the “Horse of 5 Points” Instagram shows someone riding Little Bit inside the Smokers Town vape shop on Harden Street.

Is it legal? Is it ethical?

The city of Columbia doesn’t mind Harmon conducting his business on downtown streets and sidewalks, said Kelly Smith, business license administrator for the city.

Horse riders have the same rights and responsibilities on public roadways as vehicle drivers, according to South Carolina law.

But unlike in many other states, a person cannot receive a DUI on a horse in South Carolina, according to the Anderson & Schuster law firm in Charleston.

Harmon said he still judges whether a person is too intoxicated to get on a horse before he allows them to. There’s been two times when someone fell off, but they weren’t injured, he said.

Under South Carolina law, a horse owner or handler cannot be held liable for injuries caused by interacting with a horse unless they show a blatant disregard for the participant’s safety.

But Dawn Wilkinson, executive director of the South Carolina Humane Society, said she worries about the welfare of horses and riders in a busy environment like Five Points. She said it also might be hard on the horses because they tend to sleep at night.

“I don’t love that he does that,” she said.

Michael Privett is an equine veterinarian in Hopkins, S.C., who previously served as the director of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department’s mounted unit and the sheriff’s posse, which uses officers on horseback.

Privett has provided vet services for Harmon over the years. He said he doesn’t see any reason to stop Harmon from bringing his horses downtown. Horses are well-equipped to stand in one place for long periods, he said.

“That’s not stressful on a horse,” Privett said.

Harmon said people in Five Points sometimes ask him if he takes good care of the horses and remark that the horses look sad while standing there. Harmon assures people that the horses are very well taken care of and that they aren’t sad.

“Look at the horse. It’s the softest horse you’ve ever touched,” he said.

Harmon said his horses receive regular deworming treatments and other routine medical care. Tango and Little Bit also have up-to-date health certificates that allowed them to take recent trips to Miami. They receive regular hoof trimmings, new shoes and regular cleanings, Harmon said. And the horses find plenty of time to sleep during the day or after their trips to Five Points, according to Harmon.

‘Super Steve’

Harmon has been caring for horses since 2007. He worked for many years in construction, but now he focuses on caring for his 12 horses, giving riding lessons and training racehorses. He’s most passionate about quarter horse racing, although he plans to start racing thoroughbreds next year.

One of Harmon’s racehorses, 5-year-old Roadrunner, has only lost one race out of the twelve he’s competed in, according to Steven Duerr, who works with Harmon at Moonlight Farm. Harmon trains all of his racehorses, but a jockey is used in races.

Duerr calls Harmon “Super Steve” because of a Superman saddle he often uses. Others around the farm call him the “horse whisperer.”

“He loves these horses,” Duerr said.

Harmon enjoys competing in local, informal races known as “bush track” races in the area but has competed in larger races as well. One day, he hopes to compete in the Kentucky Derby.

Harmon said bringing Tango and Little Bit to Five Points helps to pay for the upkeep of his horses. He’s also brought them to the Vista along with two trips to Miami.

“It’s what I love to do with the horses,” Harmon said.

He hopes to grow his business and take his horses to new locations in the future.